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NBA draft 2014: Winners and losers

NBA Draft Basketball

Connecticut's Shabazz Napier, right, poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 24th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets during the 2014 NBA draft, Thursday, June 26, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NBA scouts and general managers had been looking forward to Thursday's draft for a long time, and it was expected to be a huge night. And indeed it was for some players, teams and even the new NBA commissioner. For others, however, it didn't turn out quite so well. Here's a look at five winners and five losers from the 2014 NBA draft:

WINNERS

1. Shabazz Napier

After winning two national titles in his four seasons at UConn, Napier was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 24 pick and promptly traded to the Miami Heat. Assuming LeBron James keeps his talents in South Beach, Napier should be playing deep into the NBA playoffs next year.

Parker wasn't the first pick in the draft, but he will have no trouble finding enough playing time with the woeful Milwaukee Bucks to average 20 points per game on his way to capturing the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

3. Adam Silver

The new NBA commissioner was warmly received before the draft started and then showed the NBA's heart with the ceremonial selection of Baylor center Isaiah Austin in the middle of the first round. Austin found out during the NBA draft process that he has Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that ended his pro basketball career before it began.

With the ninth and 24th picks in the draft, Charlotte was in position to get two solid players. But Michael Jordan's team did much better than that. When Indiana big man Noah Vonleh, who was projected to go as high as the third pick, fell to them at No. 9, Charlotte scooped him up. Later, with the Miami Heat desperate for Napier, the newly renamed Hornets delivered him to the Heat in exchange for slick shooting guard P.J. Hairston and Xavier point guard Semaj Christon.

5. Philadelphia 76ers' distant future

While drafting injured Kansas big man Joel Embiid probably won't be of much help this season, the gamble could eventually pay off for the Sixers in a big way -- and for a very long time -- if the still-raw center can get healthy and fulfill his star potential. Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie also came away with talented Europeans Dario Saric, who recently signed a two-year contract to play in Turkey, and Vasilije Micic, as well as D-League phenom Pierre Jackson and second-round projects K.J. McDaniels of Clemson, Jerami Grant of Syracuse and Jordan McRae of Tennessee -- all of whom could eventually blossom into starters for a rebuilding Sixers franchise.

LOSERS

1. Philadelphia 76ers' immediate future

The Sixers took a huge risk using the No. 3 pick on the seemingly brittle Embiid, who watched the draft from his couch with his surgically repaired foot in a cast, then traded back from the No. 10 spot to get a future first-rounder and pick up Saric, who won't arrive in the NBA before 2016. For a team with two of the top 10 picks in a very deep draft, Philly did very little to help itself this season.

With free-agent point guard Kyle Lowry looking at other teams, the Raptors could have picked up Canadian Tyler Ennis near the final third of the first round. But the Syracuse freshman was selected by the Phoenix Suns two picks before Toronto's selection. The Raptors then took "the Brazilian Kevin Durant" in Bruno Caboclo, who ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said was, "two years away from being two years away."

Michigan State guard Gary Harris answers questions during an interview after being selected 19th overall by the Chicago Bulls during the 2014 NBA draft, Thursday, June 26, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Almost every one of the first eight picks was mentioned in trade speculation leading up to the draft, along with Timberwolves All-Star big man Kevin Love. In the end, Love is still the Minnesota's problem and none of the top eight picks went anywhere. Maybe next year.

5. Some very talented college players

The Portland Trail Blazers took the night off, but they (and the rest of the NBA) have a lot of talented players left over that they can tap for their summer league team. Big men Artem Klimenko (Russia), Patric Young (Florida), James Michael McAdoo (North Carolina), Khem Birch (UNLV), Jordan Bachynski (Arizona State) and C.J. Fair (Syracuse); wing players LaQuinton Ross (Ohio State), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State) and Sean Kilpatrick (Cincy); and point guards DeAndre Kane (Iowa State), Bryce Cotton (Providence) and Jahii Carson (Arizona State) all went undrafted.